Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou payouts: Reported purses prove 'The Predator' very much did not "fumble the bag"

The Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou boxing showdown is heralded among the most highly-anticipated professional combat sports contests of 2024. Joshua, a former unified heavyweight champion in pro boxing, is set to be the second pugilist to take on Ngannou.

A veteran MMA fighter and former UFC heavyweight champion, Ngannou made his professional boxing debut against Tyson Fury in October 2023. The latter happens to be the WBC and the consensus lineal heavyweight boxing champion.

In a performance that surprised many in the combat sports world, 'The Predator' secured the matchup's lone knockdown. Their fight went the distance, with Fury winning via split decision, although many have argued that Ngannou was more deserving of the judges' nod.

On that note, it was reported that Francis Ngannou took home around $10 million for his fight against 'The Gypsy King.' His incredible performance in his maiden boxing match also earned him a fight against another UK boxing megastar, Anthony Joshua. The Joshua-Ngannou boxing bout will transpire in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 8, 2024.

Certain sections of the MMA community have consistently maintained that Ngannou lost out on a lucrative UFC contract in 2023, which would've fetched him $8 million per fight. The Cameroon-born fighter instead chose to test free agency and signed with the PFL MMA organization, as the PFL contract granted him the liberty to compete in boxing.

Earlier this year (2024), MMA fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen notably asserted that his outstanding display against Fury notwithstanding, Ngannou did indeed "fumble the bag" by not re-signing with the UFC.

Sonnen indicated that the $8 million offer, in addition to the shares from UFC pay-per-view (PPV) revenues for his fights, would've ultimately helped Ngannou earn considerably more than his income from his boxing matches.

Nevertheless, Marca recently highlighted that, as per Forbes, Francis Ngannou is set to bag $20 million for his upcoming fight against Anthony Joshua. Meanwhile, Joshua is expected to take home $50 million.

Courtesy of the $31.5 billion investment from the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) in the 'Riyadh Season' sports extravaganza, the total guaranteed Joshua-Ngannou fight purse is estimated to be around an impressive $70 million. Moreover, one should note that both Ngannou and 'AJ' would rake in additional income, owing to their shares in the PPV revenues that'll accrue after the fight.

---

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou purses: Agent confirms mammoth payday for 'The Predator' against 'AJ'

Presently, the consensus is that the winner of the highly-anticipated showdown between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou would receive the opportunity to fight the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk winner later this year. The Fury-Usyk matchup is expected to crown boxing's undisputed heavyweight champion. Ergo, the Joshua-Ngannou victor, would receive a shot at undisputed gold next.

Furthermore, the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou salaries have been a hot-button topic in the combat sports dominion, given the magnificence of the expected payouts.

The Sports Business Journal recently reported that Ngannou's agent, Marquel Martin, confirmed that akin to a $10 million-plus payday he earned against Fury, the MMA star would rake in over $10 million against 'AJ' too. The exact Joshua-Ngannou payouts haven't been officially announced yet. Regardless, Martin stated:

"Francis is the baddest man on the planet and his pay reflects it. And the best part is he’s earned every penny. [I] couldn’t be more happy for him."